Forget Weekend Revelations! Today it’s all about The Dark Knight! If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s probably best you don’t read this post yet. While the site is generally spoiler-free, the movie is already out in theaters, so you’re on your own, pal!

Revelation #1: The Dark Knight Itself is a Revelation

Nothing I say can really add much to all the positive reviews out there for this movie. Simply put, it is great. It’s probably much better than any comic movie ever should be, and the record-breaking box office numbers are proof that even people who don’t like comic book movies are getting out there to see this movie. Perhaps some are seeing it out of morbid curiosity, but that curiosity vanishes once you’re sucked into the story. I get the Heat references (it opens with a bank robbery! The good guy and bad guy sit down for a chat!), I get The Godfather references (intercut tragedies!). There’s a realism to Dark Knight that doesn’t exist in comic book movies. Take away the guy in the bat costume and you’ve got a movie about a crazy criminal. But there’s one big difference between this movie and the previous classics mentioned: In The Dark Knight, the characters we’re following are the good guys. The Corleone family is essentially out for themselves. They steal and murder, and their deaths and tragedies are expected/deserved. Sure you have an emotional attachment to them, but in the end, they choose to live a life that isn’t known for its retirement plan. In The Dark Knight, we’re watching good people forced into gut-wrenching moral decisions, making it all the more tragic when they fall.

There are themes in this movie not previously touched on in comic book movies, and now that these ideas are out there, it makes comic films that came before it seem trite. Oh, poor Spider-Man can’t get the girl because he’s a superhero? Awwwww. Superman is sad that the girl he loves is getting married? Tough shit. Batman’s girlfriend is surrounded by 30 oil drums, and he was just given the wrong address! His moral code is costing the lives of innocent people, but in order to break his code he’d have to take the life of another human being, forever corrupting his values.

This movie is a wicked kick in the face to comic book movies. You can be cartoony, punny, loud, and dumb, or you can aspire to something more. Much, much more!

Revelation #2: The Joker Could Be The Best Villain Ever

This really shouldn’t be a revelation. The Joker is already one of the best comic book villains created. But played here, with no backstory, with no motivations other than anarchy, he finally becomes something truly fearful and realistic. Nicholson’s Joker seems downright silly now. In fact, every single Batman villain that came before Ledger’s Joker is a joke. Also, compare Eckhardt’s Two-Face with Tommy Lee Jones, and you’ll get a clear idea of how this movie is striving for something so much more. Back to the Joker. Not only is the performance memorable and chameleon-like (just try seeing Heath Ledger past the paint and greasy hair), but it raises the stakes of the movie to incredible heights. This is someone Batman can’t comprehend, therefore he doesn’t know how to battle him. As smart as Bruce Wayne is, he follows a clear line: Criminals aren’t complicated. The Joker throws that principle out the window, not giving Batman leverage on anything.

Any time the Joker is on the screen, the movie lights up. Every scene with him is memorable. Watch him exit the hospital and be disappointed/confused that his explosion didn’t go off the way he wanted. Watch when he asks the cop if he wants to know which of his friends were cowards. Watch the disappearing pencil trick. Watch the eerie final conversation, where Nolan skillfully flips the camera on a hanging Joker, making him seem weightless, floating out in space. There’s something haunting about it.

Revelation #3: No, This Movie Isn’t Perfect!

For all the praise, it’s easy to gloss over some of the movie’s confusing moments. For instance, why did Gordon fake his own death? Was he preparing for this for a while? How did he know for sure there would be an attempt on the Mayor’s life, and how did he know he’d be the one to save him? Why would he put his family through such a tragedy? Was it a plan to capture the Joker? If so, why would Jim Gordon be the only guy who could exit a truck and rest a shotgun on the Joker’s neck? If there was a little setup before this happened, it may have made more sense, but it almost comes off like a cheap pop. Then, you’re so excited that he’s back, you forget to ask why he left in the first place. Yeah! Gordon’s not dead! Wait, why did he f–, ooh, the Joker’s in jail. Let’s watch!

Second, Harvey Dent sure turned quickly. One moment he’s the symbol of unflappable justice, the next moment, he’s given a speech and a gun by the Joker and he’s off threatening children. Seems like a big leap. I understand his sadness for Rachel and his face, but refusing treatment and skin grafts? Come on buddy. That’s unsightly! It’s necessary for Dent to fall, but I feel like it could have been more of a slow burn.

Third, the action is still confusing. Batman Begins suffered from the same problem. Any time Batman is cleaning up a bunch of thugs, it’s all close ups, darkness, and flying limbs. You don’t get a clear sense of what’s happening, and if that’s the point, they succeeded. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. Also, the climactic ending could have done without the Daredevil-like sonar system. It would have been just as effective if Morgan Freeman was like, “There’s some guys to your left.”

Revelation #4: This movie is not that violent. But it’s extremely suggestive.

A lot of people are saying this movie should have been rated R. It shouldn’t have. When you go back and watch it, you’ll realize there’s very little violence aside from Batman punching people. The pencil trick, the “Why So Serious” knife speech, all these things happen off screen. And maybe this is a product of the confusing action I just referred to, but it doesn’t take away from the deadliness of the Joker. Okay, I’ll admit that Two-Face is pretty disgusting, and Eric Roberts falling on his legs hurts, and there are a few exploding bodies, and Batman’s punches on the Joker are pretty brutal, and, er…

Revelation #5: This Movie is Violent.

I change my mind.

Having seen Dark Knight twice already, I would be a fool not to proclaim it my favorite comic book movie of all time, upending Spider-Man 2 and X-Men 2. It has truly set a gold standard for what you can accomplish in a summer film while still entertaining and providing applause-worthy moments. This is it, folks. The best movie of the summer, possibly of the year. I only have one more question…

This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 12:42 pm and is filed under Comics, Film, Weekend Revelations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.